Today I’m offering up another book spotlight but first would like to ask those of you who pray to send a prayer up for my dad today as he goes into surgery.
As for the book spotlight it is for The Red Chamber by Pauline A. Chen which releases on July 10! This novel sounds awesome especially for those of us who like to read books dealing with the Chinese culture in any way like I do. Read on for a description of the book as well as the author’s inspiration for it and don’t forget to check out the giveaway at the end of the post.
About The Red Chamber
An epic reimagining of the Chinese literary classic, Dream of the Red Chamber, THE RED CHAMBER tells the story of three women in an aristocratic household in 18th-century Beijing. Daiyu is an impoverished orphan adopted into the household who falls in love with Baoyu, the brilliant, unpredictable heir to the family fortunes. Despite his love for her, the family betroths Baoyu to his cousin Baochai, who hides her own desires under a dutiful exterior. Meanwhile, the young matron Xifeng struggles to protect the family from financial ruin, even as her husband spurns her for her inability to bear a child. Linking the three women’s fate is the jade, a mysterious stone found in Bayou’s mouth at birth, which seems to foretell a strange and extraordinary destiny for him and the entire family.
The idea for THE RED CHAMBER came to Chen years ago when she was teaching a class on Dream of the Red Chamber, widely considered the most important work of fiction in the Chinese literary tradition. Perhaps due to its daunting length (2500 pages) and complex cast of characters (more than 400), the novel is largely unknown to western audiences. And like many readers of the classic, Chen was haunted by a sense of incompletion—Cao’s original ending has been lost, and a new ending was written by another hand after his death. In THE RED CHAMBER, Chen attempts to finish the story for herself, while streamlining the original plot to focus on the inner lives and motivations of the three female main characters. Chen’s resolution is sure to astound and enthrall readers up until the very last page.
From the rich descriptions of the customs followed in this cloistered, yet opulent world, to the cast of fully-rounded characters, THE RED CHAMBER reads like a Chinese Downton Abbey and is a fitting homage to a beloved masterpiece.
Buy at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and B&N
About Pauline A. Chen
Pauline Chen started her career as a lawyer, but was sidetracked by her love of literature. After completing a Ph.D. at Princeton, she moved to Ohio in 1996 to teach Chinese language, film, and literature at Oberlin College. When her son was born in 2000, she quit her job to stay home, writing every morning before the rest of the family awoke. Her first book, Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas, was a novel for children about a Taiwanese-American family in Ohio. THE RED CHAMBER is her first novel for adults.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US only)
I have one copy of The Red Chamber by Pauline A. Chen up for grabs to my readers. To enter…
- For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
- For 2 entries follow my blog and let me know if you already do so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
- For 3 entries blog or tweet this giveaway and spread the word.
This giveaway is open to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, July 21/12. Good luck!
I’d love to be entered because this sounds like a book my mother would like.
I subscribe in Google Reader.
This book sounds like an interesting in-depth look at Chinese culture. Thanks for the giveaway, Darlene.
Sending positive thoughts to your dad.
I follow via Google Friend Connect.
Whoops, I forgot to say Happy birthday, Dar!
Sounds kind of like a Lisa See book! I’m in. I also follow via email.
Prayers for your dad and the rest of you. Happy Birthday Darlene!
will pray for your dad.i am follower will tweet at Rhondareads.
Ooh, I love the sound of this book, and it has been ages since I read any Chinese literature, so please do count me in! I am already praying for your dad, as we have been talking about. Take care over there, and rest. All will be well, my friend.
zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net
This novel sounds fascinating. thanks for this chance. I am an e-mail subscriber.
I am praying for your dad, Dar. thanks for featuring this intriguing book. I subscribe via e-mail.
Praying for your dad. This book sounds amazing! I have posted the link to facebook and I already follow your blog via email.
Prayers for your dad, Dar. Keep us posted on him.
Thanks for the giveaway –
PMNSL95@triad.rr.com
I follow your blog via GFC as Patricia N
PMNSL95 at triad dot rr dot com
Tweet
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PMNSL95 at triad dot rr dot com
I do hope all goes well for your father.
I would love to read this.
thank you for the opportunity to win
I shared on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pattyleonardwoodland/posts/127721157368963
I follow your blog.
Reworking a literary classic sounds like a satisfying book to write, as well as read. Thanks for the giveaway. I’m a follower.
Following, posting and tweeting!
All my thoughts and best wishes are certainly going to you, your family, and especially your Dad today.
Please enter my name to win a copy of The Red Chamber
I follow your blog by email: carlscott(at)prodigy(dot)net(dot)mx
I also tweeted a link to this blog post: https://twitter.com/carlrscott/status/220576268146581504
Best wishes,
Carl
I hope all goes well with your dad. Thoughts are with you!
I follow via Google
lafra86 at gmail dot com
This looks like a fascinating book. Thanks for the giveaway.
-follower by email, GFC, Facebook
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
it does sound interesting 🙂
I love historical fiction books on China. There are so few good ones. I look forward to reading this one. I am definitely going to add this one to my TBR list. I follow by email. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway.
I’m looking forward to reading this book. It sounds very intriguing.
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
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I follow via gfc – mamabunny13
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
I would love to read this book—thanks for hosting such a great giveaway!
I’m a GFC follower (skkorman)!
Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/220657242469441536
Sounds like an interesting book. I’ve posted the giveaway in my sidebar…I follow as you know.
Thanks so much for the giveaway! I love retellings of classic stories, though I have yet to read this one (not that it’s not on my wishlist…).
old GFC follower
bookwormsusanna AT gmail DOT com
Best wishes for your father’s surgery. I heard good things about The Red Chamber. I follow thru Google Reader.
This book sounds wonderful. I’ll be looking for it when it comes out.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
Follow as Renee G on gFC
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
Hi Dar! I am so sorry to hear that your Dad has o go into surgery! I am sure he will recover fast. Sending my prayers for him, you and your family!
I’m a follower– thanks for the giveaway!
Rachelhwallen@gmail.com
I would love to chance to win this book.
I follow by GFC and Email.
Please enter me to win – would love to read your books. I follow blog.
Bunches of prayers for your father. I hope he has a speedy recovery.
I LOVE reading about the Asian culture, it seems fascinating to me. Thanks for the chance to win this great sounding book.
I am a GFC follower.
Thanks for this amazing giveaway! This book sounds great and I would love to win it!
I follow by e-mail!
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/SuzReads/status/221383658966228992
Very intriguing book.
This sounds very interesting.
Pjames330 at aol dot com
email subscriber
pjames330 at aol dot com
https://twitter.com/pj436/status/222404984715747331
I would like this.
all right
Please enter me in this giveaway
This book sounds very goood and I would love to win and read it!
Hope all went well for your father. Prayers for all.
kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com
I’m a follower – email and GFC
kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com
I tweeted. https://twitter.com/MsRubyKat/status/223769016353828865
kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com
I would love to read this book.
I follow on gfc.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/choa4925/status/224637093522055168
tweet
https://twitter.com/mamabunny13/status/225266991756353536
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
Please enter me.
I follow on GFC
tweet: https://twitter.com/MaureenCE/status/225276447047163904
thank you for the chance
tammyjackson75@yahoo.com
I would love this because I love reading about different cultures.
I want to enter the giveaway.
sounds like a good one, like reading about other times
Would love to win and read this book.
msbookwormlady(at)aol(dot)com
I follow your blog via email and GFC.
msbookwormlady(at)aol(dot)com
I Tweeted. https://twitter.com/MsBookwormLady/status/226083385716662273
msbookwormlady(at)aol(dot)com
It sounds like a very interesting book!
Hope Dad is well!
Please enter me into the giveaway! Sounds like a great book. Praying for your dad. Hope he is doing well.
Being an avid reader, this novel calls to me and I would be so excited to win.
This book sounds like an interesting .
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
I follow gfc #1
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
I follow gfc #2
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
Sounds like a great read.
I follow GFC (1)
I follow GFC (2)
This sounds like a very interesting book. I don’t usually like it when stories are rewritten but this sounds like it has been done very well.
I follow with GFC. Betty C
#1
I follow with GFC. Betty C
#2
Awesome contest! Thanks
gfc follower daveshir2005
tweeted
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I’ve seen great reviews for this–would love to win it!
I would love to read this book!
GFC follower: Atreau.
I would like to enter the giveaway. Thanks.